Action by DEP officials flew in the face of common sense last July when they claimed the “benefits” of the landfill — money — outweighs the harms — our health and safety. They gave the landfill a pass on its environmental assessment. Now, DEP officials are doing the technical review to determine if the massive landfill structure is technically sound because there are extreme dangers to the area if anything goes wrong.
If they pass, an additional 188 billion pounds of waste will be dumped in our community for another 40+ years, compromising our health and safety irreparably.
We must tell Gov. Wolf and his DEP to deny this expansion - now. Use the form below to voice your opposition and we’ll do the rest. All letters will automatically be sent to Wolf, the DEP and state and federal elected officials.
Please share this page with your friends and family and ask them to do the same.
Local/State Representatives:
Govenor Wolf
570-614-2090 | kmagnotta@pa.gov
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
https://www.governor.pa.gov/contact/
Senator John Blake
570-207-2881 | lwest@pasenate.com
Oppenheim Building 409 Lackawanna Avenue • Suite 210
Scranton, PA 18503
http://www.senatorblake.com/contact
Senator Bob Casey
(570) 941-0930
417 Lackawanna Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact/
Hon. Marty Flynn
Jay’s Commons
409 North Main Street
Scranton, PA 18504
RepFlynn@pahouse.net
Rep. Matt Cartwright
226 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
https://cartwright.house.gov/contact/email-me
Rep. Michael Carroll
Route 209
Gilbert, PA 18331
RepCarroll@pahouse.net
DEP Respresentatives
Secretary Patrick McDonnell
Department of Envionrmental Protection
Rachel Carson State Office Building
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: 717-783-2300
Email: pmcdonnell@pa.gov
Roger Bellas, Regional Waste Management Program Manager
Department of Environmental Protection
Northeast Regional Office
2 Public Square
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703-1915
rbellas@pa.gov
Michael Bedrin
Regional Director of the Northeast regional office
mbedrin@pa.gov
Vince Brisini
Deputy Secretary of Waste, Air, Radiation and Remediation
vbrisini@pa.gov
Allison A. Acevedo, Esq
Director Department f Environmental Protection | Office of Environmental Justice
alacevedo@pa.gov
Colleen Connolly
Community Relations Coordinator for Northeast Region
coconnolly@pa.gov
Here are some concerning facts:
• This mega-landfill currently accepts over 7,200 tons of trash per day.
• It is built over mines known for subsidence.
• The Phase 3 permit application admits the landfill is leaking into our ground water.
• It is only 450’ from the Dunmore Reservoir #1, our backup drinking water supply.
• The run-off from the open sores of the Phase 3 trash mountain will not be treated and will be discharged directly into the Lackawanna River via Eddy’s Creek.
• The landfill accepts fracking drill cuttings and drilling mud. The cuttings are mixed with small amounts of naturally occurring radioactive elements, particularly radium-226.
• The percentage of Residual Waste (mildly treated hazardous waste) continues to increase.
• High volume landfills (500 tons per day or more) decrease adjacent residential property values by 13.7% on average according to Richard C. Read in his article “Do Landfills Always Depress Nearby Property Values?” The bigger the landfill, the lower the home values
• Foul smells waft over the area often and reach over 4 miles in radius.
• Seagulls carrying disease and fracking contaminants coat our local lakes and reservoirs regularly.
And of most concern:
• Studies have shown living near landfills can reduce immune system function and lead to increased risks of certain types of cancer, including bladder, brain and leukemia, among people who live near landfills. Further, a study by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine also found that babies born to mothers who live near landfills have a significantly greater risk of birth defects.
Our area already has cancer rates higher than the national average. We cannot be exposed to any more risk. And this is not a case of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). We have allowed the trash from NY and NJ into our backyard for decades. This is a case of enough! Simple as that.